Ivorian Meganne Boho: “The G7 must now commit to women’s rights

The testimony of the Ligue Ivoirienne des Droits des Femmes activist, in Rome for the Civil 7 alliance summit

ROME – Putting the self-determination of women and girls at the center of the agenda, first and foremost with respect to their own bodies and their own health: this is the appeal to the G7 governments addressed by Meganne Lorraine Ceday Boho , member of the Ligue Ivoirienne des Droits des Femmes association.

ON THE MARGIN OF THE SUMMIT CIVIL 7

The activist talks about it with the Dire agency at the FAO headquarters, on the sidelines of the Civil7 summit, an alliance of civil society organizations that aspires and tries to represent all the countries of the world. The words that Boho says several times, in English, are “bodily autonomy”: literally bodily autonomy, in a broad sense self-determination, in choices and in life. The theme is human rights, of all, including sexual and reproductive health. According to Boho, guest in Rome of the NGO Aidos and the Italian Network for Global Health, it is essential that these rights are respected and promoted in every country.

“I am originally from Ivory Coast, where abortion is illegal and too often women are seen as a mere object to be exchanged or sold”, denounces the activist. “I would like the summit of G7 heads of state and government scheduled for next month in Puglia to contribute to countering the attacks on women’s rights which are intensifying in the world; and which, moreover, are advocated for reproductive rights to be considered to all intents and purposes as fundamental human rights.” For the work with her association, in particular for her commitment to raising awareness against gender violence, Boho was awarded the Franco-German Human Rights Prize in 2022.